Grommet Mark Portion for Anti-Rotation Rib Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grommets with anti-rotation ribs in the flange fitting groove are difficult to attach correctly due to the rib's hidden position, making it challenging to align the notch portion with the anti-rotation rib during assembly.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a mark portion on the outer surface of the reduced-diameter cylindrical portion of the grommet exterior, which indicates the position of the anti-rotation rib, allowing for easy alignment of the notch portion with the rib during attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the anti-rotation rib is provided inside the large-diameter cylindrical portion in the flange fitting groove, then the anti-rotation function is achieved, but the rib position becomes hard to see and align during attachment
Solution Approach 1:
A mark portion is introduced as an intermediary element on the outer surface of the reduced-diameter cylindrical portion to indicate the position of the anti-rotation rib. This mediator allows operators to visually identify and align the hidden rib position without directly observing the rib itself, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining the rib's hidden position for anti-rotation function and enabling easy alignment during attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The mark portion creates a visible copy or representation of the anti-rotation rib's position on the outer surface. Instead of modifying the rib itself or making it visible, a duplicate positional indicator is created on an accessible surface, allowing alignment without exposing the actual rib structure that performs the anti-rotation function
2Stability of the object's composition
If the anti-rotation rib is positioned inside the large-diameter cylindrical portion, then structural integration is improved, but visibility and recognition of the rib position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mark portion serves as an intermediary that transfers positional information from the hidden anti-rotation rib to the visible outer surface. This allows the rib to remain in its structurally integrated position inside the large-diameter cylindrical portion while providing visual detection capability through the mark on the reduced-diameter cylindrical portion
Solution Approach 2:
The positional information is transferred from the internal dimension (inside the large-diameter cylindrical portion) to the external dimension (outer surface of the reduced-diameter cylindrical portion). This dimensional transition allows the rib position to be detected visually without compromising its internal structural integration
Data Source
AI summary
A grommet is formed by integrally fitting a substantially annular flange of a grommet interior to a substantially annular flange fitting groove of a grommet exterior. The grommet exterior includes a large-diameter cylindrical portion in which the flange fitting groove is formed inside, an anti-rotation rib that projects from the flange fitting groove toward inside of the large-diameter cylindrical portion, and a first reduced-diameter cylindrical portion that is provided on an attachment side of the grommet interior to the large-diameter cylindrical portion and that has a diameter smaller than that of the large-diameter cylindrical portion. The flange of the grommet interior is provided with a notch portion into which the anti-rotation rib is fitted. Further, the first reduced-diameter cylindrical portion includes a protrusion on the outer surface thereof that indicates the position of the anti-rotation rib.